Abstract
The purpose of our research was to establish the variability of correlation between the length of the jumps and selected multi-item kinematic variables (n=9) in the early flight phase technique of ski jumping. This study was conducted on a sample of elite Slovenian ski jumpers (N=29) who participated in the experiment on a jumping hill in Hinterzarten, Germany (HS95m) on the 20th of August, 2008. The highest and most significant correlations (p=0.01) with the length of the ski jump were found in the multi-item variable height of flying, which was also expressed with the highest level of stability of the explained total variance (TV) on the first factor (TV=69.13%). The most important characteristic of the aerodynamic aspect of early flight was the variable angle between the body chord and the horizontal axis with significantly high correlations (p<0.05). The stability of that aerodynamic factor was very high (TV=65.04%). The results were essentially similar for the multi-item variable angle between left leg and the horizontal axis (TV=61.88%). The rest of the multi-item kinematic variables did not have significant correlations with the multi-item variable length of jump. Only two more variables, the angle between the upper body and the horizontal plane (TV=53.69%), and the angle between left ski and left leg (TV=50.13%), had an explained common variance on the first factor greater than 50% of total variance. The results indicated that some kinematic parameters of ski jumping early flight technique were more important for success considering the length of the jump.
Highlights
Many theoretical considerations and experimental approaches to the take-off and early flight of ski jumpers have been made, mostly from the biomechanical standpoint
Statistically significant correlation coefficients existed between the multiitem variable length of jump and the angle between the left leg and the horizontal axis
The highest and most significant correlations with the length of the jump were found in the multi-item variable height of flying
Summary
Many theoretical considerations and experimental approaches to the take-off and early flight of ski jumpers have been made, mostly from the biomechanical standpoint. The study of Arndt et al (1995) reported very high multiple correlations (R2=.77) between five kinematic variables and length of the jump. The correlation coefficients between the biomechanical parameters describing the take-off and the length of jump occurred mainly in the interval r=0.40– 0.60 (Vaverka et al, 1997). Some studies reported the importance of the optimal aerodynamic positions of the ski jumpers in the early flight phase (Janura et al, 2011; Jošt, 2010; Jošt et al, 1998; Schmölzer and Müller, 2005; Virmavirta et al, 2001; 2009; Vodičar and Jošt, 2011). The quality of the early flight position is dependent on more kinematic variables, which have to form an optimal combination for each jumper (Arndt et al, 1995)
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